Quintero: Reaches as winning run scores
(c) Associated Press
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It's not often the Astros hit a homer lately, much less three of them, but the home run derby ultimately left Houston one run short in a 5-4 loss to Pittsburgh on Wednesday night.
Carlos Lee belted his team-leading 15th of the year, and got support from Matt Downs and Clint Barmes, but Andrew McCutchen homered twice off J.A. Happ to leave the game a 4-4 tie headed into the later innings.
With Wilton Lopez on the hill in the eighth, the Pirates got singles from Garrett Jones and Ryan Doumit before Sergio Escalona, fresh off the disabled list, was brought in to face Jason Jaramillo. Pinch-runner Chase d'Arnaud scored on the eventual double play then Joel Hanrahan came in to complete his 36th save in the ninth.
After a day off on Thursday, the 95-loss Astros travel to Washington for a weekend set in a nation's capital that has seen a lot of disasters come to town lately. Bud Norris (6-9) will spar against the Nationals' Tommy Milone (0-0) who will make his second major league start. The first pitch is scheduled for 6:05 Central on Friday.
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